Off-ice Exercise G uidebook for Juniori-KalPa G-D J unior Coaches

1. Off-ice Exercise Guidebook for Juniori-KalPa G-D Junior Coaches Introduction This thesis was commissioned as there was no proper guidebook for the junior coaches of Juniori-KalPa from G to D juniors (7-14 years old). The purpose of the thesis is to provide exercises with the latest guidelines and further developed instructions to each session to maximize the development for every player in every age group. To achieve this, different sources had to be considered critically as well as the needs of the commissioner. Development tasks GUIDELINES The general guidelines for the guidebook from the commissioner were to develop a simple exercise gradually to a harder one. Also the instructions must be simple and short enough also for a parent to instruct. To explain the details of each exercise, research to be conducted has to include core analysis of hockey, physiological development of children and adolescents, optimal training intensity, volume and frequency, the knowledge level of the coaches and parents, and the environment used in the exercises. • How to optimize the exercise from simple and develop it further? • How to use the latest and most sport-oriented material with the knowledge of the sensitivity periods? • How to adjust the exercises according to the current seasonal plans? Product development process and evaluation Prior to creating the exercises, complete knowledge of the theoretical background had to be studied and compiled on paper. Knowledge of the actual facilities used by Juniori-KalPa affected the organizational part of the exercises. After the foundation of the final booklet was written down, the actual designing of the exercises could begin. Planning the exercises was more straightforward than going through all the theory, although it was rather time consuming to actually test the majority of the exercises with the juniors or with a different team. Some of the exercises were studied from different coaches responsible for auxiliary exercises within junior teams of Juniori-KalPa. These fathers were professional athletes once, in volleyball, boxing or hockey. The list of exercises could be much longer, but going through with applying them with a group was very time consuming and a line had to be drawn at some point. The outlook of the guidebook was something that was never pleasing enough. The best solution would have been to leave it to a professional graphic designer and just focus on the material inside. The layout was to be simple, clear and present the colours of KalPa. The end product could have been far more pleasant to look at if the layout was done by a different person.